~ The Right-hander will debut in a spring training game Friday

JUPITER, Fla. -- St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright isn't trying to make too big of a deal about his upcoming spring training start.

Sure, it's his first time pitching in a game since he was sidelined in 2010 and missed the entire 2011 season because of elbow surgery.

But after a year of rehab and waiting to get back on the mound, Wainwright knows Friday's start against the Minnesota Twins won't be just another day either.

"I'm normally not a butterfly guy. I expect some butterflies," he said Sunday after throwing his final batting practice session in preparation for the appearance. "There have been several real key moments in my career that I had some butterflies. This year when I pitch at Busch Stadium for the first time, there'll probably be some butterflies. We'll have to wait and see."

Wainwright threw around 30 pitches Sunday and said he approached it with the kind of intensity he usually reserves for game days during the regular season.

"I wanted it to be as close to a simulated game as possible," he said. "I knew I walked [Tyler Greene], so I went out and stretched the rest of that inning just to simulate what I would do in an inning. I did my normal warmups between innings and tried to think what I would normally think.

"There were a couple of pitches I wouldn't have done during a game. But mostly I was trying to be me out there. This is my last hurdle and my last go of it."

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny watched the session and said that it's no secret that the coaching staff has been deliberate with a guy they expect to again be at the core of the pitching rotation alongside Chris Carpenter.

"He's been the one guy we've been clear about from the beginning that we've got to stay on the program with him," Matheny said. "He's been on track, and to stay on track is really important."

Wainwright will take the team bus for the 2 1/2 hour ride to Ft. Myers on Friday.

Wainwright has never been to the Twins' facility.

"Just a drive across the state for a couple of innings," he said. "At this point I could care less where it is. I'd take a bus to Arizona to pitch in a game. I'm excited to get back on the hill."

Wainwright said Saturday may be a bigger day than Friday, because that's when he'll know how his arm responds. It will be unusual anticipation in a spring that has departed from Wainwright's norm.

"Yeah, it's different because in year's past I know exactly how I'm gonna feel pretty much. So it was kind of a system that worked and got my arm ready more rapidly," he said. "This year it's kind of a different system. That's their system that I've been doing this whole time. So I really don't know how my arm is gonna respond until the next day, but everything's responding well."

Noteworthy

* The Cardinals open their spring-training schedule today with a 12:05 p.m. game against the Florida Marlins.